Adjustable standard for vehicle jacks and the like



F. w. COFFING Filed April 12, 1946 ADJUSTABLE STANDARD FOR VEHICLE JACKS AND THE LIKE July 8, 1952 atwo: ztelescopi'cally Patented July 8, 1952 51 53 11, STANDARD-"FOB, VEHIGLE v I II JACKSAND-THELI-KE I I n :FredrickLW. ,EGoffing, Danvjille, lll iassignorlto o istom y l lanville 111,; af cdr Application 'April 12, meanest.time T II This memes relates to linearly extensible :standard suitablefor :vehicle .jacks,.lshores, ;etc.

:butznot necessarily restricted to these specific =uses. Y

The chief object of this invention is to .provide -a .astan'dard which :may be :readily adjusted to .;extended-,condition, Lwhithiis automatically locked .in-extended.relation andswhich is readily released and :collapsed ito contracted :position all without :the use of :a :central ract'uaton or. control element.

The :chief ifeaturem'f .ithe present= invention :reiiSideS in :the sens-sustaining ratchet acting i'hea'd cearriedgby one of the "relatively extensible elements andsthe -coopera'tingportions of the other zelementof :said {elements whereby the elements amaynbe :read-ily. extended held,;or-collapsed as desired withoutianladditionallactuator.

fother objects and features of the invention will be set ,forth :more fully hereinafter.

Theffulhnature :ot-the invention-will be understood :from the accompanying drawings and' the .::followingdescription:andclaims;

Inthe drawings; ;.i. 31.

. :1 a longitudinal sectio'nal:view: through associated tubes. the" head structure associated. therewith beingshown inelewatiomrpartslbeing illustrated in 'the'lo'ckedipositinn',

'fligflz is-arsimilar eview of :thesame :parts "in a releasedzposition. I I

Eig. :3 is a '.transverser=sectional :view taken on lline .:3--1-:3 of 'Fig. .1 and 1m :the direction of the sarrows. I

j 114 .is anlelevational -.view,. atright angles- :to zthat of Fig. l :and zof the-"head structure.

. :l Fi'gf 5 .is-an *elevational view of a vehicle' jack mith'the inventionjincluded therein. n

In Figs. 1 and 2 of -the 'drawing's f0 "indicates anouter'tube' herein havingiopposite longitudinal -sei -iesof transversely aligned seats in'the form -sof-cut-outs or slots H. withinthe same is-a =:sl-i"ghtly smaller-tube. I 7

" Rlgidlrsecured 'in' 'the, lower end-thereof is the meek f3 o'f'the' head structure. The head 14 mroper 'provi'des 'shoulder 'I S bearing against the adjacent-end of tube I 2. The-head I4' hereineon- "forms tothe interior oi f-tube Ill. It is slotted diametrically as at l6and -transversely bored as rat I I1. Slots l 6 extends-to the end of 1 head l4 "remote *irom shoulder '15. "Pin l 8 "in bore "l1 rpassesthroughslot f6. It-isof-a lengthas-shown .SOlt cannot-escape longitudinally aslong as -confined lziytube1'11. I

idppair (if-scissorarrerlgeddo;gs or-pawlsi l 9 have tapered jaws "and-offsetextensions 2 I These l-TCIaims; wngtsaam dogs have. bear-iii? jaws 221. .each otherandare apertured at 23, which aper- [1 when extended.

the arms The extensions lap tures are aligned and'the'reinlis positioned'shaft ,or pinld. "Hence the two pawls are pivotally .mounted and'on-a common pivotandare nest- .ab fthe'sie't il-e except to .the extent noted in Fig.2 when collapsed and to the extent noted in Means for normally constraining the dogs or pawn toextendedpositioncomprises a single spring having the coiled central portion 2d and .25 which terminate in oppositely directed angular ends zii seatable in the apertures orseats 21in s'aid dogs. 'Notein Fig. 4 that portions" of the spring are nested in slot 16 and in Fig. ,3's'o that the clearance provided by the setting of portions 2!. permits the anchoring of the springs thereto without interference. The

lengths ortheang'ular ends are such that neither ,canescape from its seat.

Operation WheneVerit-is desired to extend .or collapsethe :structure the two tubes are slightly. extended. In thisiaction-cam.taces 20 by' the-upper face ofnotches or slotsll and the pawls are tilted in-opposition'to the spring means.

of the dogsare engaged When the =pawls are completely retracted from the-notches;-if-step by step adjustment is not debalance of or reversely until the dogsare notches. "When so.

sired, the two tubesare relatively .rotated .so that aligned V with: and bear upon l0 which have no=notches The the tubes again arerelatively rotated eitherthe two longitudinal series of aligned .and the tubes :are slightly extended .or .zcollapsedrthe .dQgS register .with a transversely .alignedpair of notches. When load is applied.to;-tube l0 .thepawl upperjawsurfaces-i3fi which are curved,.bear upon the root 31 ofslot ltrandthe jaws22 bearuponthelower aligned with .the

- -wal1sof notches H. Any other adjustmentdesiredisafiected by repeatingthejoregoing cycle. Herein bywayof example only the adjustable standard is illustrated JinFig. 15 as incorporated a vehicle :or likejack disclosed in Patent'xNo. -2;506;705-of -May 9, 1950, -entitled Cable :or ';Chain "Jack. I

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings :and

-idregoi-ng description, the-same is to beconsidered as illustrativeand' notrestrictive-in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims. The invention claimed is: V 1. An adjustable standard and the like comprising an outer elongated tubular member, an inner member telescopically associated there'- with having a head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack ar{ ranged series of seats upon its interior and upon inner member telescopically associated therewith having a head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack arranged series of seats upon its interior and upon opposite sides thereof, said head having a transverse slot therein, a pair of oppositely directed pawls 'seatable'in the slot and pivptally mounted, the pawls having slot root-engagementand disengagement with said rack seats for retention ahd release purposes, and spring means associated with both pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement opposite sides thereof, said head having a trans- 1 verse slot therein, a pair of oppositely directed pawls seatable in the slot and pivotally mounted,

the pawls having slot root engagement and disengagement with said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring means associated 'rack arranged seats for single rapid length adjustment greater than adjacentspacing.

2. An adjustable standard and the like comprising an outer elongated tubular member, an inner member telescopically associated therewith having a head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack arranged series of seats upon its interior and upon opposite sides thereof, said head having a transverse slot therein, a pair of oppositely directed pawls seatable in the slot and pivotally mounted,-

the pawls having slot root engagement and disengagement with said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring means associated with both pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement purposes,"

said pawls upon relativemember extension being tiltable for disengagement purposes, said spring means. comprising a central coiled portion, a pair of arms extending thereupon and two anchoring ends remote from the central portion.

3'. An adjustable standard and the like comprising 'an outer elongated tubular member, an inner member telescopically associated therewith havingxa head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack arranged series of seats upon its interior and upon opposite sides thereof, said head having a transverse slot therein, a pair ofoppositely directed pawls'seatable in theslotand pivotally mounted,

the pawls having slot root engagement and disengageme'nt with said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring means associated with both pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement purposes, said pawls upon relative member extension being tiltable for disengagement purposes, both pawls having offset portions which lap in theslot and having a'common pivotal axis and a spring means comprising a central'coil portion, a pair of arms extending therefrom to the pawls and terminating in angular ends associated with the pawl ofiset portions. 7 1 g 4. An adjustable standard and the like v comprising an outer elongated tubular member, an

from the central p ortion;

purposes, said pawls upon relative member extension being" tiltable for disengagement purposes, theroot of the] slot being arched and the confrontin faces of the pawls nested in the slots being correspondingly arched for bearing purposes, a the opposite faces being of bearing type, and a cam'type end face on the front end of each pawl.

5. An adjustable standard and the like comprising. an outer elongated tubular member, an inner member telescopically associated therewith having a head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack arranged series of seats upon its interior .andupon opposite sides thereof, said head having a transverse slot therein, a pair of oppositely. directed pawls seatable in the slotand pivotally mounted,

the pawls having slot root engagement anddisengagementwith said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring means associated with both pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement purposes, .said pawls, upon relative memberextension being tiltable for disengagement purposes, the root of said slot being arched andthe confronting faces of the pawls seated in the slot beingcorrespondingly arched for bearing purposes the opposite faces being of bearing type, and a cam type end face "on the free ends of each pawL'the adjacenten'ds of said pawlsbeing offset from the body portion thereof and :lapped inthe slot and havin a common pivotal axis. 2-

6. Anadjustable; standard'and. the like comprising an outer elongated, tubular vmemben'an inner member. telescopically associated there with having a head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two rack-arranged-series of seats upon its interior and .upon

opposite Sides thereof, said head'ha'ving a transverse'slot therein, a pairof oppositely directed pawls seatablein theslot and pivotally mounted, the pawls having slot root engagement and disengagement with said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring, means associated with both. pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement purposes, said pawls upon relativememberextension ,b'eing tiltable fordisengagement purposes, the root of said slot .being arched and the confrontingfaces of the pawls seated-in the slot being correspondingly arched for bearing purposes, the opposite faces beingof bearing type, and a cam;.type end face on the free ends of each pawl, and the spring means being Singular and comprising a central coiled portion, a pair-of armsextending therefrom and; two angular, extension ends remote 'hnn adjustable standard and the-like compr sing an outer elongated -tubular memb er, an

7 inner member telescopically associated therewith having a-head rigidly mounted on said inner member, the outer member having two-rack .ar-

ranged series of seats upon its interior and upon pp ite ide aws-said haeanav af i verse slot therein, a pair of oppositely directed pawls seatable in the slot and pivotally mounted, the pawls having slot root engagement and disengagement with said rack seats for retention and release purposes, and spring means associated with both pawls for simultaneously constraining the same outwardly for engagement purposes, said pawls upon relative member extension being tiltable for disengagement purposes, the root of the slot being arched and the confronting faces of the pawls seated in the slot being correspondingly arched for bearing purposes, the opposite faces being of bearing type, and a cam type end face on the free end of each pawl, the adjacent ends of each pawl being offset from the body portions thereof and lapped in the slot andhaving a common pivotal axis and the spring means being singular and comprising a central coil portion, a pair of arms extending therefrom to the pawls and terminating in angular ends associated with the pawl offset portions. FREDRICK W. COFFING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 390,381 Luetke Oct. 2, 1888 398,408 Koehn Feb. 26, 1889 510,243 Deem Dec. 5, 1893 621,108 Leonard Mar. 14, 1899 713,794 Ostermann Nov. 18, 1902 859,233 Lane July 9, 1907 2,171,653 Heitmann Sept. 5, 1939 2,229,473 Redmer Jan. 21, 1941 

